The use of thermal transfer recording media such as thermal transfer ink ribbons has expanded as word processors, facsimiles, bar codes, etc. have become common.
However, most of them are of single use, thus posing a problem of high cost.
As a solution to this problem, there have been proposed thermal transfer recording media capable of multiple setting.
Traditionally, as thermal transfer recording media capable of multiple setting, there have been reported, for example, thermal transfer recording media of the so-called cohesive failure type such as described in Japanese Patent Publication Open to Public Inspection No. 36698/1982 which comprises a single relatively thick ink layer formed on the support via a resin layer, which ink layer upon setting is part by part consumed in each transfer, whereby multiple setting is possible, thermal transfer recording media of the so-called ooze out type such as described in Japanese Patent O.P.I. Publication No. 68235/1979 which has an ink layer comprising a polymeric porous material and a thermofusible ink contained therein, which thermofusible ink upon setting oozes out little by little from the polymeric porous material, whereby multiple setting is possible, and thermal transfer recording media of the so-called stone wall type such as described in Japanese Patent O.P.I. Publication No. 160691/1982 which has an ink layer comprising fine grains of packing material and thermofusible ink, which fine grains of packing material upon setting control the ink transfer amount in each setting, whereby multiple setting is possible.
However, none of these types of thermal transfer recording media is free of the ghost phenomenon, wherein density unevenness, blurs and other setting failures associated with the preceding setting occur on the printing surface in the second setting and thereafter.
In the case of thermal transfer recording media of the coagulation disruption type, the ghost phenomenon is attributable to pressure transfer, upon re-setting, of the minute ruggedness formed on the ink layer after the first setting.
The ghost phenomena found in thermal transfer recording media of the leak type and those of the stone fence type are attributable to similar causes.
Furthermore, such a thermal transfer recording medium for multiple setting has a drawback that its ink layer is sensitive to temperature changes; for example, when it is used at high temperature, its service life by number of settings decreases because of the increase in the ink transfer amount per setting.
On the other hand, when it is used at low temperature, the density of the printing images obtained is significantly low because of the decrease in the ink transfer amount per setting.